| Music: Atrium Carceri | Reliquiae | Acolyte |
Leaving the Bleak Seminary behind, you enter a long ambulatory where the very air is thick with soot. Bone chandeliers dangle on rusted chains from the high vaulted ceiling. Candles made from human fat burn perpetually in iron candelabrum set into the brimstone walls. Canals of lava run along the base of the walls, casting a deep red glow across the uneven floor.
The sound of hacking coughs and gentle sobbing radiates from some unknown hollow beyond the walls. From the far end to your left, you also hear running water and think you spy a fountain where the hallway bends to turn north.
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| You enter the Ashen Ambulatory at Q13. Features: Fountain (D12), Mirror (O13), Keyhole (T11), and perhaps more... |
To the right, the hallway quickly turns to head north. From this angle, you see an large, obsidian, hourglass-shaped keyhole set into the wall.
Watch your step, crusaders...
Addendum Imagery:
OOC: Your encounter powers have recharged, now that you are in a new scene.
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ReplyDelete[Turen]
DeletePushing forward into the sooty air of the ambulatory, the druid quickly pulls a clean, if somewhat grass-stained tunic from his pack and uses his dagger to make quick work of it as he fashions it into several masks. He ties one around his head, fitting it past his pointed ears to cover his mouth and nose before handing the other triangular pieces around.
Squinting through the haze of smoke, he carefully avoids the mirror, not looking into the reflective pane as he creeps down the passageway. His sandles scuff softly against the uneven floor as he half-crawls down the hall, keeping low to avoid the noxious smoke. He keeps a close eye on the floor ahead, watchful for wires or pressure-plates, his slightly enlarged ears twitching and listening for any movement or sound as he makes his way towards the fountain.
He pauses for a moment, peering into the angled alcove as he slowly sneaks forward, ready to defend himself if need be...
After waiting a moment longer he continues onward, crossbow at the ready as he crouches near the north-turning passageway. He waits, listening hard for any movement beyond and trying to shut out the sound of the nearby fountain as he peers around the corner. If nothing lies beyond, he moves out into the passageway and scans the area, keeping his crossbow trained down the northern hall before he relaxes slightly and turns his attention to the fountain itself.
Tech: Perception +12, Stealth +4 (lol), Dungeoneering +7, Nature +12. What awaits us in the alcove? That star has me worried slightly... I might have to edit again depending on what he sees there. The fountain, is it water or something more foul? If so, can he tell if it is poisoned?
[Turen]
ReplyDeleteTuren searches his way westward, being sure to not look into the mirror as he passes by.
He arrives safely half-way down the hallway, and obtains a good view of what is in the alcove there. Within is a Marilith statue! It smells of lilacs.
OOC: See addendum imagery for a good look at the marilith statue. I'll stop here if you wish to do something in light of the new information.
"If you throw so much as a pebble at it," comments Shazi in the most serious tone possible, "I'll kill you where you stand."
ReplyDeleteShazi stands at the back of the group, one hand on the hilt of her short sword and the other cautiously juggling a shuriken between her fingers.
[Turen]
ReplyDeleteThrough the haze of smoke, the druid spots the multi-armed demon and cries out, loosing his readied quarrel at the fiend as he leaps up and runs partway down the passage, skidding to a stop as he turns and reloads his crossbow.
He curses as he fumbles with the latch, sweating with terror as he draws the crossbow to his shoulder, his throat burning from the great gasping breaths of smoke-laced air he breathes through his makeshift mask. As the seconds tick forward, he slowly relaxes and returns to the alcove, quickly bringing his crossbow up to aim down the fletchings at the marilith. His first quarrel lies broken on the stone floor, the head bent and dull, the shaft splintered.
Relaxing, he pauses and examines the statue further, looking for the mark his quarrel should have made as well as searching for any defining marks or symbols on or around the terrifyingly beautiful demon’s form.
Tech: Perception +12, Nature +12, is there anything unusual about the statue? Besides, you know, the six armed thing.
[Turen]
ReplyDeleteYou find the position of the hands interesting. Two above, two to the side, and two cupped together. The statue doesn't have movable joints, but is well made. Looks quite heavy.
[Palim]
ReplyDeleteHis mouth covered by cloth against the soot, Palim starts to move forward quickly after Turen at the sound of crossbow fire. Arriving at the statue, his eyes narrow as he inspects it and searches his memory for anything similar. He also inspects its base and the floor around it for signs that it is movable.
Religion +11 to recognize the significance/identity of the marilith or the hand positions. I also want to know if I recognize or can interpret the symbols on the points of the star behind the marilith. Perception +8 to see if the statue is movable, even if it is heavy. History +9 if necessary.
[Palim]
ReplyDeletePalim investigates the statue, and finds it immovable. His memory recalls that the Heresiarch has two daugthers - twin Mariliths - who go by the titles Mother of Agony and Mother of Terror. This could be a representation of one of them, perhaps.
Palim can't make heads or tails about any symbols, they seem to be decorative only.
Shazi stands at the corner of the bend in the hallway, trying to maintain a low profile as she looks to the North to see what more there may be down the halls.
ReplyDelete[Tech]
Move to Q12 first then F12 second, looking down each hall as subtlely as possible. Note that I have darkvision.
Stealth +15/+17 (+15 base, +2 camouflaged clothing) to move silently/hide as I look.
Perception +7
[Shazi]
ReplyDeleteIn the east: Looking around the corner to the north, you see not only the hourglass-shaped keyhole, but also the hint of an iron portal (T6/T7 on map). The hint of ochre colors that area. The hallway turns to head west.
In the west: You come close to the fountain and see that it is hewn from translucent precious stone, mixed with obsidian, in which quivering organs are embedded.
OOC: You recognize this as the Font of Blighted Warding. You may drink of this fountain to gain temporary hit points equal to your healing surge value, but each time you do so, you incur 1 point of blight. Like all temporary hit points, these do not stack with one another.
See the vitals tab for an updated map. You did not get a view of the western-side, given how close you got to the fountain.
OOC: I'll step around the fountain, keeping my distance, and inspect the hallway on the Western side. Same Stealth/Perception checks apply.
ReplyDeleteAre these "normal" temporary hit points in that they last until the next rest?
Kallista politely declines the mask and slowly heads up the eastern corridor to its northern end, watching for the usual signs of floor traps along the way. She wants to see around the northeast corner, but glances at the eastern exit as she goes past.
ReplyDelete(Tech:R13 to R3, Perception +3, but no-one lives forever)
So-tin follows behind Kallista, his senses on edge, keeping alert for anything suspicious.
ReplyDeleteTech
Arcana +13, Perception +4
The adventure continues in the post: Ashen Ambulatory Explored
ReplyDelete